


The subtle art of courting Harry

by ShadowOfTheNight



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, courting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-16 19:37:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5838292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowOfTheNight/pseuds/ShadowOfTheNight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco makes up his mind that he wants to marry that Potter and he initiates formal courting protocol to go through with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters are short because i write them when the inspiration hits. Thanks for reading, loves.

Harry could feel Draco’s eyes boring into the back of his head from the Slytherin table and he rolled his own.  “He’s staring at me again.”

“Mate,” Ron laughed, “He hasn’t stopped staring at you since we came back to school this year.”

Hermione frowned and pursed her lips.  “I don’t like it.”

“You don’t like anything about them, Hermione.”  Harry teased good-naturedly.  “McGonagall told us they were spies, you don’t have to like it, but at least give them a chance.”

Hermione glared over Harry’s head.  “I don’t like it at all.  Harry, he’s coming over here!” she lowered her voice to s a soft urgent whisper.

“Potter.”

Harry rolled his eyes and turned in his seat.  “Malfoy.” He inclined his head slightly.

Draco fiddled with something small in his hands and then thrust it at Harry who took the small box with some surprise.  “There.” He sneered and then walked away, head held high and a blush pinking his cheeks.

Harry stared at the cream colored box, enjoying the contrast between the paper and his dark brown skin. He heard a startled, “Draco what was that!” from the Slytherin table before he turned his attention to his friends. “What?”

Ron stared back and forth between Draco and Harry before he burst into peals of laughter. Hermione, not amused in the slightest eyed the box suspiciously and reached for it with her own dark brown hands.  Harry pulled it back and reached to open it.

Nestled in the box was a small, golden rose on a delicate gold chain and a note.  He pulled the note out, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach.  

 _Dear Harry,_ it read, _This is a formal declaration of intent, if you will have me.  I intend to show you just how worthy I can be of you and this is just the first step._

Harry looked at the sheet, frowning, before he picked up the rose and grinned suddenly.  “Well, Hermione,” He laughed, “You’re definitely going to have to get used to him now.” He reached behind his neck with the clasp and touched a finger to the rose.  


	2. Chapter 2

Harry kept an eye on Draco over the next several days as the pureblood had this wild, almost furtive look about him before it would morph into his cool and collected normal self.  Draco came into the great hall limping quite a few times, and at one point he had a singed robe.

Harry thought to ask him about that, but had kept his mouth shut, figuring it had to do with his next gift.

And he was right.  He stared down at the package in his hands, bulky but not overly weighty.  He raised an eyebrow at draco.

“Don’t just stand there, Potter.”  He said waspishly.  “Open it already.”

Harry carefully opened the package he was holding and pulled out a set of dress robes.  The robes were lightweight and flowed over his fingers like water. 

“There’s more.”

Harry blinked away from his rapt concentration of the deep forest green fabric and turned his attention to a pair of boots and gloves.  He frowned at the material and ran his fingertips over it to be sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing.  “Horntail?”

Draco looked pleased.  “Got it myself.”

Harry shook his head, “What is the robe made out of?”

“Acromantula silk.”  Draco turned his nose up, “I also collected that myself.  You’re going to have the absolute best with me, Harry.”

Harry fingered the materials some more.  “I can see that.” He said quietly and stood to press a soft kiss to Draco’s cheek.  “Just don’t put yourself in danger for me.”

Draco stood there, trembling before he blushed bright red and fled the great hall.

Harry turned back to his friends, “Well.  That went well!”


	3. Chapter 3

The trials were over.

Harry took in a deep breath of winter air before he turned away from the street and entered the halls of Grimmauld Place.  Sirius wasn’t home yet.  But he was coming home and harry’s breath caught in his chest and he remembered those few short years ago when his godfather had almost fallen through the veil.

The trials were over.

Harry lingered at the front door for just a few more moments before he heard the rush of the floo and he ran to the fireplace only to see Draco standing there somehow looking down his nose at the much taller form of Harry’s Godfather.

“What are you doing here, little Malfoy?”  Sirius asked in what Harry thought was a tired whisper, “I just got home and I really don’t have time for whatever you want.”

Draco sniffed, “I am aware you just got home, cousin but I would not ask you this unless it was extremely vital.”

Sirius made a sort of moaning noise before he collapsed into a chair.  “Fine, tell me what you want and then leave me be.”

Draco’s superior sneer slipped from his face and he knelt on the carpet, with his fingers splayed against it to support himself.  “Sirius, last scion of The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, I come to you as a humble petitioner.”

Harry watched the look of confusion on his Godfather’s face grow and he stifled his laughter.

Draco took a deep breath and continued and Harry could see him shaking.  “I had not the time to ask before I had begun formal courtship but I do take the time now.”  he looked up, “I ask, as his family head and legal guardian, for permission to court Harry _properly_.  Like he deserves.”

Sirius was quiet for a long moment.  “You said you have already begun the courtship.  Has Harry accepted the gifts you have already given him?”

Draco nodded and tensed.

“Then I see no reason why it cannot continue.”  Sirius leaned forward and laid a hand on Draco’s shoulder before he slipped it off.  “Rise, Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy line. You have my permission to Court my Godson.”  Then he fell back into his chair and gave a short barking laugh, “Besides, now I know who to kill if you upset him.”

Draco blanched as he rose from the floor.

“Sirius.”  Harry said reproachfully.  “That’s not nice.”

“I’m a Black.  None of us are nice, Harry.”

Harry made a face at him, then turned to Draco.  “Come on, you.  I want to ask you some more about why doing this _properly_ is so important to you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter I’ve been meaning to work on since i heard about Alan Rickman. I couldn’t let Severus die. I couldn’t do it.

Draco shifted nervously from one foot to the other as his godfather and Harry just continued to sit in silence and stare at each other.  he jerked in surprise when Severus sat up straighter and winced.

“Draco,” His godfather asked him, “What do you expect to gain by this?”

Draco winced again and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Harry.  “I reckon its another courting gift.”

“You what, Mr Potter?”  Severus hissed.

“I said its probably another courting gift from him.  He went to Sirius to formally ask for permission a few days ago.”

“Is this true?” Severus turned to his godson who gulped and nodded.  “Then leave.  This is will be conducted between Mr. potter and myself without interference.”

Draco nodded and left the room with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Harry peered at Severus through the thick lenses of his glasses and then ran a hand through his hair.  This wasn’t going to work.  “Look, Snape-”

“Severus.”

“What?”  Harry goggled at him.

“Do close your mouth, M- Harry.  My godson wants us to get along and you obviously will not be going anywhere soon, so it behooves us to get along. First names are a good step.  You’re no longer a child or my student.”  Severus crossed his arms over his chest and sneered.

“Fine then, Severus.” Harry took a deep breath, “I understand what you did for me and why you did it.  For my mum.  But she’s gone.  You can’t keep holding on to the memories of people who turned out very different than what you remember.”  He went on, ignoring Severus’s indignant spluttering, “I mean, I’m sure that if you hadn’t gone to _him_ , mum would have forgiven you and you could have stayed friends.” harry choked on the next words and Severus pressed his lips in a thin line but seemed like he was willing to let Harry continue.  “You’re not a bad bloke.  You’ve done some bad thing, but who hasn’t in war?”  Harry trailed off with a bitter self-mocking smile.

“Harry.”  Severus drew in a sharp breath, “I am deeply sorry for the way I treated you when you arrived here.  I was not privy to Albus’ plan to drop you at her _sister’s_ place of all places, but where you grew up and with what kind of privilege should not have mattered.”   Severus uncrossed his arms and shook his head.  “I let bitterness and hate from something that happened many years ago overwhelm my good sense and the sound reasoning that I should have had as an adult to not treat you like your father.”  Harry watched him actually fidget with the hospital bed sheet.  “You can find it to forgive a bitter old man, not just for Draco’s sake, but for the sake of putting the past behind us?”

Harry grinned.  “Oh of course, I don’t think we’ll ever be friends, but at least we can not kill each other at family gatherings.”  And then Harry started in his seat as Severus began to laugh.


End file.
